People may still be sour about the still-recent reboot of “Spider-Man,” of which the first in this new series came out only ten years after Toby Maguire first graced the screen. The original Sam Raimi series, (except for the 3rd), are often seen as groundbreaking in the way that they bring the famous comic book character to life. Yet, there is something that the original series never truly had: chemistry. Toby Maguire and Kirsten Dunst always seemed an awkward fit, and their story was riddled with clumsy dialogue. In this new film, Andrew Garfield and Emma Stone are the clear centerpiece, and though not perfect overall, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” is a fun summer film.
Spider-Man (Andrew Garfield) is back in action in this new installment. He’s graduating from high school, working as a photographer, and hunting down criminals, all while trying to keep up a relationship with Gwen Stacy (Emma Stone). Along comes a basic nobody named Maxwell Dillon (Jamie Foxx), who after an accident at Oscorp Industries, gets transformed into the super-charged, glowing blue villain known as Electro. There is also a story regarding Norman Osbourne dying of an incurable disease, the return of his son Harry, and a growing street criminal gang, of which Rhino (Paul Giamatti) is a part of. Suffice it to say, Spider-Man has a lot on his plate.
If there is anything that comic book fans should love about the “Amazing Spider-Man” series, it is the fact that the creators decided to build an entire comic franchise from it. It isn’t just one film to the next anymore; instead we have growing plots of villains, continued mysteries about Oscorp Industries, and even a story regarding Peter’s parents, and what exactly happened to them before they abandoned Peter at his Aunt and Uncle’s. It is sometimes even sly about the reveals for the future, as at one point, for example, we see a character quickly walk past familiar items that could be the framework for future villains. The hints at what is to come in the series is really what builds anticipation from one film to the next.
With that in mind, “The Amazing Spider-Man 2” sometimes spends a little too much time on backstory. When the film switches focus and lingers on Norman and Harry Osbourne, for example, or on Max Dillon and his lonely life, then we start to even forget about what we came here to see: Spider-Man! We want to see our hero soaring through the streets on his makeshift web-slingers, climbing walls and apartment buildings, and knocking out every bad guy in New York City, all with his trademark smart-ass attitude. There is some of that here, and Andrew Garfield is consistently good. But, by the end, it wasn’t completely fulfilling.
As mentioned earlier, if there is one thing that saves “The Amazing Spider-Man 2,” it is the chemistry, whether it is between Andrew Garfield and Sally Field (who plays Aunt Mae), between Garfield and Dane DeHaan (who plays Harry Osbourne), or, last but not least, between Garfield and Emma Stone, who plays Peter’s girlfriend Gwen Stacy. Call me a hopeless romantic, but it is near impossible to not buy into their onscreen emotions. Garfield and Stone illuminate the screen, instilling a sense of much-needed comedic touch to the film. The story also gives each of them something to work with, allowing their full talents to shine through. It is much more than you would expect to find in a movie about a wall-crawling man in a red and blue leotard.
Electro, who remains the primary villain in this movie, is potentially the most lavish creation of the Spider-Man franchise, at least thus far. The super-charged, sparkling neon effects are dazzling, as Electro fights Spider-Man in his climactic final battle. The fight itself, though, which had been building for the last two hours, ends much too quickly. It is just barely enough to be passable. But it is also enough to feel excited for “The Amazing Spider-Man 3,” which will premiere a full 2 years from now. I won’t be missing it.